Sewing-machine.



J. H. P. BROWNING.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.1,1, 1909.

1,002,560. Patented Sept. 5,1911.

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POLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASH|NGTON. D. c

J. H. F. BROWNING.

SEWING MAGHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 11, 1909.

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J. H. F. BROWNING.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1909.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. H. P. BROWNING. SEWING MAGHINE. APPLIGATION IILED JAN. 11. 1909.

4 sums-sum. 4.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. F. BROWNING, OF ROXBURY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROSA STORCK,

0F DAYTON, OHIO.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Application filed January 11, 1909. Serial No. 471,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. F. BROWN- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ftoxbury, in the county of Morgan and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sewing-machines, and particularly to that type of sewing-machines ordinarily designated as overseaming machines.

The machine is particularly adapted for sewing heavy material of unwieldy proportions, more especially carpets, bags, and canvas in the making of large tents and similar purposes.

The obj eet of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of such machines whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction but will be rendered more eflicient and positive in operation, more easily operated, and unlikely to get out of repair.

Further objects of the invention are to provide improved feeding mechanism for presenting the machine to the material by a forward step by step movement, a thread pick up mechanism of improved form adapted to take up and dispose of the slack in the thread after each stitch, an improved thread pulling mechanism adapted to with draw one strand of the double thread from the preceding stitches and supply this thread to the needle for the next succeeding stitch, and an improved form of adjustable presserfoot to engage the work adjacent to the point of operation, and further to provide an improved form of circular needle and driving mechanism therefor.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention con sists of the means, mechanism, the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the assembled machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the assembled machine. Fig. 3 is an end elevation viewed from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevation viewed in the opposite direction, that isffrom the left Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the thread disk on line 00 m of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 illustrates, by two detail views, the gripperjaw of the thread pulling mechanism. Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the needle driver. Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective View illustrating the particular stitch made by the machine and the method of forming same. Fig. 14 is a detail sectional viewof the thread disk and cylinder. Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional View through the ma chine showing the driving connection. Fig. 16 is a face view of the thread disk. Figs. 17 and 18 are similar to those of Fig. 11 showing an adjustable gripper-jaw. Fig. 19 is a detail view of the irregular driving worm. Fig. 20 is a detail sectional View of the engaging and disengaging devices of the feed mechanism. 1

Like parts are indicated by similar char acters of reference throughout the several views.

The sewing-machine forming the subject matter of this specification is particularly adapted for operating upon heavy material such as carpet, the portions of which to be sewed are usually too large and unwieldy to be fed to the machine in the ordinary manner. In the present instance, the goods or material operated upon remains at rest and the machine is moved by a step by step movement along the edge of the material. The machine is supported on a table provided with tracks over which the machine is propelled, the needle employed is a circular needle, and is passed through the goods always from the same side, in the drawings shown to be the under side of the material, forming an overstitch, or a method of sewing sometimes known as overseaming.

At the beginning of the operation, the supply of thread is drawn from a spool or other thread supply which thread is engaged in the eye of the needle in the ordinary manner. However, the stitch, instead the eye of the needle,

. which operation is repeated at each stitch.

WVhen sufiicient thread is upon the thread cylinder to complete the sewing of a given length of seam the thread is severed from the supply spool by certain thread pulling mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a table uponwhich the machine is supported, having located thereon longitudinal rails 2 forming a track along which the machine is propelled. There is also supported on the table 1 a superstructure 3 in the form of an elevated table or shelf on which the carpet or other material to be operated upon is supported during the sewing operation. Intermediate the tracks 2 on the table 1 is a longitudinal rack 4t engaged by a revoluble driving gear pinion whereby the machine is propelled through a step by step movement. The machine comprises a main frame .5 having carrying wheels 6 and 7 thereon engaging the track rails 2. The wheels 7 are preferably provided with grooved peripheries, the flanges of which engage on opposite sides of the track rails as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. Journaled in arms 8 and 9 projecting from the main frame of the machine is a drive shaft 10 carrying intermediate the said arms a gear pinion 11 and on the extremity of the shaftthe hand Wheel 12 which also serves as a balance wheel and is provided with the crank handle 13. Supported in suitable hearings on the main frame and extending throughout the length of the machine above the thread cylinder is a main actuating shaft 14 rotated by a gear pinion 15 mounted thereon and meshing with the pinion 11 on the drive shaft 10. There is provided in the main frame a bearing 16 supplemented by a stationary sleeve 17 projecting'therefrom within which sleeve and bearing is j ournaled a shaft 18 carrying adjacent to the one end a gear pinion 19 meshing with a corresponding pinion 20 on the actuating shaft '14. The ratio of the gears 19 and 20 is substantially 1 to 3. There is also secured upon the shaft 18 and adapted to rotate therewith a worm 21 engaging a wormwheel 22 j ournaled in the main frame, which worm-wheel is adapted to drive the pinion 23 engaging with the rack 41: to propel the machine. The worm 21 is irregular in construction, that is, the thread is straight or neutral throughout substantially threefourths the circumference of the worm and inclined through the remaining one-fourth of the circumference as more particularly shown in Fig. 19, whereby the worm-wheel 22 will be given an intermittent movement, the movement occurring only when the inclined one-fourth of the worm-thread is engaged with the worm-wheel 22 and the machine remaining stationary throughout the engagement of the remaining threefourths or neutral portion of the wormthread. By this construction the machine is advanced through a step by step movement, the parts being so timed that the movement of the machine will occur only when the needle is out of the goods. The worm-wheel 22 and drive pinion 23 are adapted to be engaged and disengaged by a clutch or friction cone as shown at 24. The pinion 23 and cone 24 are secured upon the shaft 25 which is screw-threaded at its extremity and provided with the stop nut or head 26. The worm-wheel 22 is provided with an integral sleeve 27 through which the pinion shaft 25 extends, and upon the extremity of which is screw-threaded an adjusting nut 26 bearing at one side on the extremity of the sleeve 27" forming a part of the main frame, and at the opposite side on the stop nut 26. lVhen rotated in one direction, the nut 26*, by its engagement against the frame sleeve 27 will withdraw the sleeve 27 and worm-gear 22 from engagement with the cone 24- and when reversely operated by the thrust against the stop nut 26 will cause the engagement of said parts. The sleeve 27 forms one of the trunnions, while the shaft 25, projecting beyond the pinion 23, form the other trunnion upon which the actuating pinion 23 and the wornrwheel 22 rotates, which trunnions are journaled in the main frame. When the worm-wheel 22 and the actuating pinion 23 are caused to engage with each other and rotate in unison through the frictional engagement of the clutch 24;, the machine, upon operation of the actuating mechanism, will be driven forward through a step by step movement by the engagement of the pinion 23 with the longitudinal rack 4:. When it is desired to return the machine to the starting point, the nut 26 is reversely operated, which releases the worm-wheel 22 from engagement with the pinion 23 pcrmitting the pinion 23 to rotate independent of the worm-wheel and other parts, and the machine may return to the starting place without the necessity of a reverse movement of all the mechanism.

Located at the end of the machine opposite the driving mechanism or the forward end of the machine is the needle case provided with a circular needle-race within which rotates=a needle, curved throughout having passed the operating point.

an arc of substantially two hundred and forty degrees or three-fourths of a circle.

Mounted concentric within the circular needle when located within the needle-race in the case is a needle-driver comprising a revoluble head 28 having therein radial grooves or guide-ways 29 within which are located needle dogs 30 adapted to reciprocate within said guide-ways. The dogs 30 engage slots 31 suitably located in the shaft of the needle. Each of the dogs 30 is provided with a stud 32 carrying a roller 33 which engages in an irregular cam way 34 in a stationary cam member whereby each of the dogs will be withdrawn or disengaged from the needle as the said dog approaches the point of engagement of the needle with the material. The cam way 34 is so shaped that the dog will be withdrawn by being reciprocated toward the center of the needledriver within the slot or guide-way of said driver just prior to the passing of the operating point and will again be reciproeated out ward into engagement with the needle after The driver 28 is provided with three of the needle dogs 30 so that there will always be two dogs in engagement with the needle and throughout the greater part of the movement three will be in engagement therewith. The needle-driver is actuated by a gear pinion 35 on the actuating shaft 14 meshing a pinion 36 on the shaft 37 of the needle driver. The gears 35 and 36 of the needledriving mechanism are equal in size to the gears 19 and 20 of the feeding mechanism, thereby insuring the movement of the needle in unison with the feeding movement of the machine, the parts being so .timed, as before stated, that the advance movement of the machine occurs only when the needle is outof the material; the tl1reefourths neutral thread of the worm 21 corresponding with the three-fourths arc of the needle; and the inclined one-fourth of the thread of the worm 21 corresponding with the intervening space between the point and eye of the needle, comprising onefourth of the circumfeu ence.

Journaled upon the stationary bearing sleeve 17 is a thread cylinder 38 rotated by a gear pinion 39 on the actuating shaft 14 meshing with the pinion 40 loosely journaled on said bearing sleeve 17 and connected with said thread cylinder 38. Secured upon the extremity of the shaft 18 and adapted to rotate therewith is a thread disk 41. The disk 41 is provided with a. peripheral flange 42 and projecting laterally therefrom on the side adjacent to said cylinder is a ledge 43. Secured upon the outer face of the disk 41 is a curved pick-up arm 44, the point of which is deflected outward as at 45. The pick-up arm 44 is adapted to engage the loop formed by the double thread after the needle has passed through the goods and its function is to dispose of the loose thread as each stitch is being formed. During the movement of the needle through the upper half of the needle-race it is moving away from the point of operation and will be pulling the double thread or loop through the fabric. However, when the eye of the needle reaches a point diametrically opposite the point of operation the continued movement causes it to approach the point of operation through the lower arc of its path and it will no longer pull the thread or keep the loop tight but will tend to push or carry the thread back to the work, causing considerable slack or looseness in the thread loop. It is at this time the pick-up arm 44 comes into operation.

After engaging in the double thread or loop, the continued rotation of the disk and pickup causes the bight of thread to slide back over the pick-up arm to its connection with the disk, there it engages the notch 46 in the peripheral flange 42 and is cast over the flange onto the ledge 43 by the rotation of the disk. The loop is thus made to inclose the ledge 43 of the disk from which it is afterward deflected to the cylinder. As the bight of thread is cast onto the ledge of the disk it passes between the guide 47 located on the ledge of the disk and the peripheral flange 42 of said disk, which parts form a depression or groove 48 by which the thread is guided to a gripper-j aw or threadpuller, by which it is engaged and held throughout a portion of the revolution of the disk which causes the free side of the thread loop to be drawn through the material and supplies to the needle sutiicient thread to form the next stitch.

Upon the continued rotation of the d1sk and just before the next succeeding loop of thread is cast upon the ledge of the thread disk, the .inclined guide 49 located on the ledge of the disk 41 and in advance of the notch 46 through which the thread 1s guided onto the ledge will engage the preceding loop or bight of thread and deflect it from the ledge 43 of the thread disk onto the thread cylinder. It will be seen that the thread is thus being carried onto the thread cylinder by the pick-up at a point adjacent to the top of the cylinder and at the bottom thereof, each stitch forming a loop about the thread cylinder. The gripper-jaw or thread-puller comprises a pivoted jaw 50 mounted in a sliding member 51. The sliding member is adapted to reciprocate in a radial groove or guide-way 22 in the inner side of the thread disk 41. The gripper-jaw 50 is spring pressed to its open position and is adapted to be closed upon the thread by the engagement of a lateral arm or lug 53 with an inclined cam 54 'located' adjacent to the guide-way when the sliding member 51 is moved to its outer position, that is radially from the center of the disk 4L1. To reciprocate the sliding member 51 within the guide-way 52 in the thread disk 50, the member is provided with a stud carrying a roller 55 engaging in an irregular cam way in a stationary cam member 56 secured upon the extremity of'the bearing sleeve 17. The cam way is so shaped that the sliding member 51 will be reciprocated to and from the center as the thread disk 41 rotates. As the thread-puller or gripper-jaw approaches the top of the disk, the sliding member will be forced outward causing the lateral arm or lug 53 to engage the inclined cam 54:, which causes the jaw 50 to be turned upon its pivotal connection and impinges the thread which has been passed between the guide 47 and the flange 42 of the disk. The controlling cam way is concentric throughout the greater part of its extent, so that after having engaged the thread, the thread-puller will retain its hold throughout the major portion, of the revo- V lution of the disk and will pull the free end of the thread through the several preceding stitches. If the machine is to be used for sewing but one class of material or always material of substantially the same thickness, the style of gripper-jaws illustrated in Fig. 11 will be found suflicient.

For sewing miscellaneous material where the thickness of the fabric may vary from the heaviest carpet which will require more than the ordinary amount of thread to form the stitch to the lightest bagging which will require less than the usual length of thread to each stitch, an adjustable gripper-jaw as shown at Figs. 17 and 18-is to be preferred. The adjustable gripper corresponds identically with the gripper-j aw already described, except that adjacent to the inner end there is provided a slot 73; a movable block 74 carrying the roller 55.is adjustably secured on the member 51. by a screw 7 6 extending through the slot 7 3 and engaging the block. By adjusting the roll carrying block 74 toward the end of the slot the extremity of the gripper-jaw may be caused to project radially to agreater extent beyond the ledge 43 thereby describing a path of greater periphery and consequently pulling a greater amount of thread to form the stitch in ex traordinary thick material. The thread disk 41 is rotated in unison with the feeding mechanism inasmuch as it is secured upon the shaft 18 which is aetuatedby the driving pinions 19 and 20 the ratios of gearing being such that the thread cylinder, through a medium of the pinions 89 and 40 will make six revolutions while the thread disk 41, through a medium of the pinions 19 and 20 will make five revolutions, the feeding mechanism {and the needle driving mechanism being driven in unison with the thread disk. The relation of the thread disk with the point of operation and feeding mechanism is such that at each advance movement of the machine the disk will assume a position substantially mid-way between the last preceding stitch and the one about to be made as indicated in Fig. 2. Supported upon the needle case is a pivotal presserfoot comprising a vertical hollow casing 60 having a lateral trunnion 61 journaled in the upper portion of the needle case. The trunnion 61 is capable of a limited longitudinal movement within its bearing againstthe tension of a helical spring 62. In the adjacent bearing surface between the casing 60 of the presser-foot and the needle case is one or more notches engaged by corresponding teeth or projections 64 which tend to retain the casing 60 in its normal or vertical position. It will be readily understood that by drawing this casing 60 in a direction away from the needle case whereby the trunnion 61 will be moved longitudinally against the tension of the spring 62, the teeth or projections 64 will be withdrawn from the notch and the casing may rotate on the trunnion 61.

Mounted in the casing 60 and adapted to reciprocate therein is a stem 65 pressed downward by a helical spring 66 and carrying at its lower extremity a shouldered trunnion 67 on which is journaled a roller 68 adapted to be pressed upon the work adjacent to the point of operation, by the said helical spring 66. Secured to the end of the trunnion 67 is a plate 69 having at its lower end a bifurcated lug through the bifurcation of which the circular needle is adapted to pass. This construction is best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The periphery of the presser wheel 68 is preferably grooved although it may be otherwise formed. The side of the casing 60 is provided with a longitudinal slot 63 through which projects a stud 70 located in the reciprocating stem 65. An eecentric cam lever 71 is pivoted to the casing 60 and engages the stud 70 and by its movement raises the stem 65 and presser wheel 68 against the tension of the spring 66 as is shown in Fig. 3. By turning the cam arm downward from the position shown in Fig. 3, the spring 66 is permitted to move the stem and presser wheel downward into engagement with the material previously placed on the support. In order that the stitches may be placed in a straight line equidistant throughout from the edge of the material, an adjustable gage is provided which limits the distance which the material may be inserted within the recess of the needle casing beyond the working point. The gage comprises a vertical blade 77 adapted to engage the edge of the material and is carried on an adjustable arm 78 secured to the needle casing by a set screw 79, see Fig. 4. Projecting from one of the bearing arms 8 is rod 72 on which is carried the spool of thread or other thread supply.

The operation of the machine is as follows: At the beginning of the operation the machine located at the beginning of the track, which would be at the extreme right in Figs. 1 and 2, to which position it can be freely moved on the rails 2 by operating the thumb-nut 26 which disengages the driving mechanism from the actuating pinion, which in turn engages the rack bar. l i hen the machine in position at the end of the track, the thumb-nut 26 is tightened to cause driving engagement between the parts, the thread is passed from the spool through the eye of the needle, and the end of the thread knotted or otherwise secured to prevent it being drawn through the fabric. The fabric is then placed in position on the shelf or support 3 where it will remain stationary throughout the operation, the machine being advanced to the fabric instead of the usual procedure of feeding the fabric to the ma chine. The machine, as illustrated, is hand operated; the advance movement of the machine and the sewing operation being accomplished by turning the hand wheel 12 by means of the crank handle 13. Upon the first penetration of the fabric by the needle, a double thread or loop of thread is drawn through the fabric. After the eye of the needle has passed through the fabric and to a point diametrically opposite where the eye begins to return toward the fabric the pickup arm enters the loop separating the strands thereof and continues to draw the thread increasing the size of the loop. Inasmuch as the thread has been secured, the supply is drawn from the spool, the thread 'reeving through the fabric and needle to the pick-up. Upon the continued movement of the pickup, the loop of thread sliding on the pick-up arm is engaged in the notch in the peripheral flange 42 of the thread disk and by the rotation of the disk is drawn upon the ledge thereof with the strand of thread extending between the guide 47 and flange 42, where it is engaged by the thread-puller. The continued rotation of the disk after the thread has been engaged by the puller, causes the thread supply, in this case the long end, to be drawn through the previous stitches in the fabric to supply the needle with sufficient thread to form the next stitch, the loop of thread passing entirely around the disk, thedisk giving off thread on its lower side to the needle while it takes thread on the upper side through the medium of the thread-puller. On the next rotation of the parts, the needle will again pass through the goods, the pickup will again engage the loop and cast the next loop onto the thread disk as before. Just prior to the casting of the second loop, the previous loop will be pushed from the thread disk onto the thread cylinder by the inclined guide located on the ledge of the disk 41. This is repeated until sufficient thread is looped about the thread cylinder to complete the sewing of the length of seam, when the thread is separated from the spool or thread supply, the needle being thereafter supplied from the thread on the cylinder, the loose end of the thread being drawn through the preceding stitch as each succeeding stitch is made. If, for instance, the given length of scam requires an amount of thread equivalent to six loops about the cylinder, then after the first six stitches have.been taken the thread will be severed and at the seventh stitch, the free end of the thread will be drawn entirely through the first stitch taken, and at the eighth stitch, the loose end would have passed through the second stitch and so on, through each succeeding needle hole, the end of the thread passing through one needle hole as each succeeding stitch is taken. In order that a sufficient supply of thread may be had for the needle at each revolution, the cylinder is rotated at greater speed than the thread disk carrying the pick-up arm, in a ratio of six revolutions of the former to five revolutions of the latter. It has been found in practice that if the thread disk and cylinder should travel at the same rate the thread would be wound upon the cylinder so tight as to interfere with its withdrawal and to sometimes cause the accidental breakage of the thread.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, a main frame, carrying wheels, stitch forming devices, a support on which the material to be operated upon is stationarily located, longitudinal tracks engaged by said carrying wheels, a longitudinal rack, a pinion engaging said rack, means for intermittently rotating said pinion including an irregular spiral gear, whereby the machine will be advanced over said tracks through a step by step movement, substantially as specified.

2. In a sewing machine, a main frame, carrying wheels, stitch forming devices, a support on which the material to be operated upon is stationarily located, longitudinal tracks engaged by said carrying wheels, a longitudinal rack, a pinion engaging said rack, means for rotating said pinion including a worm-gear, the thread of which is neutral throughout a portion of its length and inclined throughout the remainder of its length whereby the pinion will be intermittently operated and the machine advanced through. a step by step movement, substantially as specified.

3. In a sewing machine, a main frame, carrying wheels, stitch forming devices, a support on which the material to be operated upon is stationarily located, a longitudinal rack, a pinion engaging said rack, and

adapted by the rotation thereof to propelthe said machine in a path adjacent to the material operated upon, a constantly drlven wormgear, the thread of which is neutral throughout a portion of its length, a driving connection between the worm-gear and by the disk and projecting therefrom into a plane substantially parallel with said disk the extremity of the pickup arm belng deflected laterally away from the face of the disk, said arm being adapted to engage the loop of thread and carry the loop onto the I thread disk.

5. In a sewing machine, a circular needle passing entirely throughthe material, and

drawing t-herethrough a loop of thread, a

revoluble thread disk, a pick-up arm entending spirally beyond the face of said disk and adapted to engage the thread loop and carry same to the disk, substantially as specified.

6. In a sewing machine, acireular needle passing entirely through the material, and drawing there through a loop of thread, a revoluble thread disk, a pick-up arm attached adjacent to the periphery of said disk and extending across the face thereof, said arm being curved substantially concentric with said disk, substantially as specified.

7 In a sewing machine, a circular needle passing through the material and drawing therethrough a loop of thread, a revoluble thread disk, a pick-up arm carried by the disk and adapted to engage the loop of thread and convey it to the disk, the said pick-up arm being attached adjacent to the periphery of the'disk and projecting 1nward or across the face thereof.

8. In a sewing machine, a'needle passing through the material and drawing there through a' loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted'to engage said loop, a revoluble disk on which the loop is received, a peripheral'flange on said disk over which the thread is cast, a projecting ledge adjacent to the flange to receive the thread, and thread guides carried on said ledge, substantially as specified.

9. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage said loop, a revoluble thread disk on which the loop is received, a

peripheral flange on said disk, having a .notch therein adjacent to the point of at tachment of the pickup device for the engagement of the thread loop when discharged from said pick-up, substantially as specified.

10. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage said loop, a revoluble thread disk on which the loop is received, a peripheral flange on said disk over which the thread is cast, a projecting ledge adjacent to the flange to receive the thread, a guide on said ledge forming thereon a groove, through which the thread is guided in its course about the disk, an inclined guide also on said ledge adapted to deflect the thread from said ledge before the next loop is received thereon, substantially as specified.

11. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage said loop, a revoluble thread disk on which the loop is received, means on said disk for engaging and holding the thread throughout a portion of the rotation of the disk whereby one strand of the thread loop will be drawn through ghei preceding stitches, substantially as speci- 12. In a sewing machine, a-needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage said loop, a revoluble thread disk on which the loop is received, gripper jaws carried on said disk, means for causing the said jaws to close upon the thread at a predetermined point in the rotation of said disk and by the rotation of the disk to pull the thread through the preceding stitches, substantially as specified.

13. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage the loop, a thread disk upon which the loop of thread is received, thread gripper jaws carried by said disk and means to automatically shift said jaws to and from the center of said disk during 2113 rotation thereof, substantially as speci- 14. In a sewing machine, through the material and through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage the loop, a thread disk upon which the loop of thread is received, a radial guide in said disk, a sliding member in said guide, gripper jaws carried by said sliding member, means for shifting said member within its guide and means to open and close the jaws at predetermined times, substantially as specified.

15.. In a sewing machine, a needle passing a needle passing drawing there through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pickup device adapted to engage the loop, a thread disk upon which the loop oi thread is received, pivotally connected gripper jaws slidingly carried on said disk, means for shifting said jaws, an arm on one of said jaws, a cam surface engaged by said arm upon the movement of said jaws whereby the jaws will be caused to close and engage the thread, substantially as specified.

16. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pick-up device adapted to engage the loop of thread, a thread disk upon which the loop of thread is received, thread gripper jaws carried on said disk, means for adjusting the said jaws on the disk whereby they may be caused to describe a path of greater or less extent, thereby pulling a greater or less length of thread, substantially as specified.

17. In a sewing machine, a needle passing through the material and drawing there through a loop of thread, a pickup device adapted to engage the loop, a thread disk upon which the loop of thread is received, a member slidingly mounted in said disk, thread gripper jaws carried on said member, a stud projecting from said member, a stationary member having an irregular cam groove therein engaged by the said stud whereby said member and jaws will be shifted during the rotation of the disk, substantially as specified.

18. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle passing entirely through the materiaI and drawing there through the thread, needle driving mechanism, a thread cylinder, thread pulling mechanism adapted to positively engage the thread and pull it through the preceding stitches a driving mechanism adapted to drive said cylinder and thread pulling mechanism, substantially as specified.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle adapted to pass entirely through the material and draw there through the thread, needle driving mechanism, a thread cylinder, a pickup adapted to carry to said cylinder the loop formed in the thread at each succeeding stitch, pulling mechanism adapted to engage the thread and pull it through the preceding stitches and deliver the thread supply to the needle, means for driving the thread pulling mechanism and the thread cylinder at difl'erent rates of speed, substantially as specified.

20. In a sewing machine, the'combination of stitch forming mechanism including a needle, a thread cylinder from which the needle is supplied with thread and which receives the loose strand of thread after the completion of each stitch, a thread pick up adapted to deliver to the cylinder the loose strand of thread and a thread pulling mechanism independent of the cylinder adapted to positively engage the thread and pull the loos-e end through the preceding stitches, substantially as specified.

21. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle driving mechanism, a thread cylinder from which the needle is supplied and which receives the loose strand of thread formed at each succeeding stitch, a

pick-up adapted to deliver the loose strand to said cylinder, thread pulling mechanism independent of the cylinder adapted to positively draw the loose end through the preceding stitches, and means for advancing said machine, substantially as specified.

22. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle driving mechanism, a thread cylinder from which the needle is supplied and which receives the loose strand of thread formed at each stitch, a pick-up comprising a spiral arm projecting beyond the extremity of said cylinder adapted to engage the loose strand of thread and deliver the same to the cylinder, a means for driving said cylinder and pick-up at different rates of speed, substantially as specified.

23. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism including a needle and a thread cylinder, of thread supplying mechanism independent of the thread cylinder adapted to pull the strand of thread through the preceding stitches and supply it to the needle, and means for adjusting the thread supply mechanism whereby it will pull and supply a greater or less length of thread at each operation, substantially as specified.

24:. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of thread supplying mechanism adapted to grip the strand of thread and pull it through the preceding stitches, to supply the needle, and means to vary the extent of the path of travel of the thread supply mechanism, substantially as specified.

25. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of a revoluble member, a thread engaging device carried on said member, means for radially adjusting the thread engaging device whereby it may be given a greater or less path of travel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

26. In a sewing machine, the combination I with stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of a revoluble thread disk, a thread engaging device radially adjustable on the thread disk, and adapted to engage the thread and pull it through the preceding stitches to supply the needle with a predetermined length of thread, the length of thread supplied the needle at each operation being variable by the radial adjustment of the thread engaging device whereby said device will describe a circle of greater or substantially as specified.

27. In a sewing machine, the combination With stitch forming mechanism, of a thread cylinder adapted to receive and carry the loose bights of thread formed at each stitch except the last stitch, a thread disk inde pendent of the cylinder, adapted to receive and carry the loose bight of thread of the last stitch formed until the bight of the succeeding stitch is carried to the disk and means to pass the preceding bight from the disk to the cylinder, substantially as specified.

28. In a sewing machine, the combination With stitch forming mechanism, of a thread cylinder adapted to receive the loose hights of thread formed at each stitch except the last stitch, a thread disk independent of the cylinder upon which the thread is received less periphery at each rotation of the disk,

from the last stitch and from which it is supplied to the needle to form the succeed ing stitch. substantially as specified.

29. In a sewing machine, the combination With stitch forming mechanism of a thread disk, a ledge thereon on which the thread is supported, a guide adapted to retain the thread in the disk, until it has encircled a predetermined portion of the periphery thereof, and a guide adapted to carry the thread from said ledge, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of November, A. D. 1908.

JOHN H. F. BROWNING.

Witnesses:

WM. B. MEEKER, FRANK L, WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

